Africa 'the richest continent on Earth is the poorest' – AU envoy to US

The African Union (A.U.) envoy to the United States (U.S.) has said despite being the richest continent, Africa was the poorest. She puts the phenomenon down to how Africa’s resources continued to enrich other parts of the world.

Arikana Chihombori-Quao, a medical doctor, was appointed by the A.U. in 2016 to lead the continent’s relations with the U.S. – the first diplomatic mission opened by the A.U. in 2007.

She was speaking in an interview with Qatar-based Al Jazeera in a wideranging interview at her Washington DC office.

What bothers me is the realization that the richest continent on Earth is the poorest. Our raw materials leaving Africa creates employment for the world and we consume the things we send out.

When Al Jazeera’s sub-Saharan Africa journalist, Azad Essa asked about proposed aid cuts by the Trump administration, Chihombori-Quao poured her heart out about how the continent was being given a raw deal.

“What bothers me is the realization that the richest continent on Earth is the poorest. Our raw materials leaving Africa creates employment for the world and we consume the things we send out.

“Things are being stolen out of Africa and we need to stop the drain. But we are very capable to take care of ourselves. I am confident that the continued collaboration and more regional and continental trade will show us a new Africa,” she stressed.

Chihombori-Quao had previously served as head of the African Union-Africa Diaspora Health Initiative (AU-ADHI) between 2012 – 2016. She described her mandate as one that involved promoting Africa in the Americas and ‘more importantly, to mobilize the African diaspora – meaning all people of African descent living outside of Africa.’